Abstract :
Metal oxide semiconductors are today the most promising materials for photoelectrochemical production of
hydrogen by the method of the photoelectrolysis of water as the problems of the stability of photoelectrodes are
basically solved only for such materials. The aim of this short review paper is the presentation of results in this field
obtained both worldwide and by the authors of this paper. The factors determining the efficiency of photoelectrolysis
and possible ways to increase the photocatalytic activity of semiconductor photoelectrodes are analyzed. It is shown
that the development of new photoelectrodes made of solid solutions and more complicated multicomponent compositions
are most promising. Possibilities to use porous and nanocrystalline oxide photoelectrodes in photoelectrochemistry
are also discussed. Photoelectrolysis setups for the photoelectrochemical conversion of solar energy into
hydrogen are briefly described.
2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
